To host or not to host; is there really a question?

I absolutely love to host 🙂 I get the feeling many people like the idea of hosting, will say that they will have you over and then either forget they suggested it or perhaps are actually really scared to have people over. If you think about it, when you are having people to your home you’re making yourself extremely vulnerable. You put your a) tastes b) decor c) home d) choice of food and drink and everything else about you on the line to be judged…. No one wants to hear their guests whispering in the corner ” I really am not diggin’ this playlist” or “OMG look at how messy the living room is!”. These things can be avoided by two things.

2) Invite nice people that you get along well with and you want in your home, not people you don’t really like but feel obligated to do so… ( I feel like this is a no brainer but sometimes people have this issue.)

The cardinal rules of hosting!

1. Guest list and invites: When you decide you are ready to take the plunge there are so many things to think about including your guest list. As much as you want to invite everyone under the sun to your amazing party that will be hosted you really need to stop and think:

How many people can my condo/house/apartment hold comfortably?

If you have a small place you really don’t want to be crawling over each other in order to mingle, worse yet, you don’t want people sitting/standing in the same spot for 5 hours! It needs to be comfortable for movement.

Do I think the group of people i am inviting has enough in common?

Are you inviting for example your “meat-a-tarian” friends and your vegan friends……… there may be a better mix of people. People don’t have to be identical but make sure there is common ground to spur convorsations.

Will they all get along?

I think this goes for those friends that you have that were a couple but recently broke up…. maybe don’t invite them to the same party, things could get awkward.

Does the size of the guest list match the type of party i am throwing?

If you are having a dinner party and you invite 20 people it just won’t have the right level of intimacy ( and i don’t know how big your dining room is). Same goes for if you’re having a party like a house party type… 4 friends just won’t have the right effect.

3. Set the Mood- This one is great and can really take a party to the next level, make a playlists! If you’re having a wine and cheese make a smooth jazz or French Cafe inspired playlist. It will def keep everyone in the right mindset.

4. Get the items to put the “cherry on the cake” so to speak- This is where you can get creative and show your personal flare! Get some cute little flags to label the cheese, get some personalized wine glass markers, light candles all over ( don’t forget to keep an eye on them) and place plants and flowers around to set the scene.

5. Prepare the extras- Who hates being at a busy party and you get to the bathroom and there is no T.P……:-O we all hate that, prepare for your guests! Buy extra T.P and tastefully place it in the washroom. Also other things, put the heaps of your coats in your bedroom, this way there is enough space on the coat rack for your guests.

6. Be a good host- This is all encompassing: Chill out, put on your party dress, introduce your guests so there is no need for the awkward” So who are you?” conversation starters, and get your guests their first drink.

7. Enjoy yourself- Be the life of the party, this is not saying go get drunky-poo, but really have fun, don’t worry if someone drops a glass, clean it up and keep going. Enjoy the evening, you have wonderful people all together creating memories 🙂